


What Baking Can Do

by boomsherlocka



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Gen, Inspired by Waitress - Bareilles/Nelson, M/M, Multi, Physical Therapist!Jack, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, trans!bitty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 13:08:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25850080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomsherlocka/pseuds/boomsherlocka
Summary: Bitty is stuck in a loveless marriage in Madison, working as a waitress at a diner where he specializes in pie.No one knows that he's trans, longing to move away and start over. He longs to transition and live as Eric Bittle full time. And he has a plan: win a baking contest and use that money to start all over.Then everything changes...
Relationships: Chris "Chowder" Chow/Caitlin Farmer, Derek "Nursey" Nurse/William "Dex" Poindexter, Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Eric Bittle/Original Male Character, Kent "Parse" Parson/Jack Zimmermann, Kent Parson/Alexei Mashkov, Larissa "Lardo" Duan/Shitty Knight
Comments: 56
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have been working through this plot bunny for a while but it seemed like a monumental and intimidating task. 
> 
> Please know that while I do have trans friends, I by no means understand how difficult it could be to be a closeted trans gay man who married too young and who feels stuck in so many ways. 
> 
> Bitty's self-judgement and hatred is not a reflection of my views on sexuality or gender, he's just isolated and repressed. 
> 
> Don't worry, this has a happy ending. :)
> 
> EDITED TO ADD: After receiving very thoughtful feedback from an early reviewer I have decided to change Bitty's pronouns from the very beginning. It's important that someone reaffirms his identity, even if it's only him at the start. Thank you kadupr for taking the time to educate me on the importance of something that may seem unimportant to so many people. I am grateful for your patience.

He woke up before the sun had even considered rising, Chet still snoring away in bed. Bitty grabbed his neatly pressed uniform and went into the bathroom as silently as possible, not even flipping on a light in the process. He had navigated the entire house in the dark dozens of times, from when he had to go into the diner early to when he stayed late prepping the pies for the next day. He picked up all the hours he could, tucking away the extra tips in the little jar he saved every cent in for the entry fee for a baking contest in Atlanta in November. The prize was 10,000 dollars and once he had that all of his dreams could come true. 

He could leave Chet. He could move somewhere up North, cut off his hair and change his name and finally-- finally live the life he always knew he wanted.

He could be Eric. All the time, not just in his head. He could stop having to answer to ma'am or miss or darlin' or little lady, he could be who he really was: a he. 

Bitty pulled on his dress in the dark and tied his wavy blonde hair back. He had cut it right after he and Chet had gotten married and Chet complained that he had preferred it long, but in all actuality Bitty had wanted to go even shorter. He had looked at pictures online of undercuts and buzz cuts and wanted so desperately, even if he knew he could never get away with that in Madison.

He tiptoed to the living room, slipped on his shoes, and grabbed his purse from the couch. Dex would be there any minute to pick him up, he was always kind enough to pick Bitty up on the way to work when he was the opening cook. Alexei would probably do the same, but he would have to go out of his way and Bitty hated to ask him to do that.

Sure enough, he saw the flash of Dex's headlights as he turned into the drive and Bitty grabbed his keys, closing the door to their little rent house as quietly as he could. He climbed into the cab of his ancient red pick up truck and Dex threw the truck into reverse.

Dex wasn't a talker. Ever, really, but especially in the mornings. They drove to the diner in silence and Bitty watched the still-asleep little town pass by through the window whose tint was bubbling up with age.

He jumped out of the truck and headed to the door, unlocking the diner and flipping on the lights. Dex was in charge of firing up the flat tops and ovens and Bitty was in charge of making sure the syrup and ketchup bottles were full before going to get started on baking off the biscuits and starting the sausage gravy.

Breakfast was their busiest time, but they had it down to an art. They had to, because even in the middle of the breakfast rush Bitty had to start baking the pies for the rest of the day to fill the display case.

Those pies were what put this place on the map, and he was responsible for that. When he showed up for his job interview when he was 18 and fresh out of high school with a peaches and cream bribery pie he was hired on the spot, and had been tasked with making all the pies every day for the dessert menu. It was a lot of work, but it was a creative outlet he needed more than anything. Every day was the same, except for the pies. He could change up that menu as much as he wanted and customers would come in every day, curious about what he had cooked up this time.

Bitty put his first batch of homemade buttermilk biscuits in the oven while Dex got started on browning the sausage for the gravy. He always volunteered to do that to help Bitty out, since every time Dex had attempted to make the gravy himself it ended up hopelessly lumpy.

Bless that boy. He could fry an egg over easy with his eyes closed by gravy was his downfall.

"I'm just gonna go flip the sign and unlock the door, Dex," Bitty said as he wiped his flour-dusted hands off on his apron.

Dex grunted his acknowledgement as Bitty pushed his way through the swinging doors that led to the small dining room and lunch counter. Sure enough, a couple of farm trucks sat in the parking lot with their windows rolled down, Roy Whitehead and Ken Biggums chatting away as they waited for the diner to open. Bitty flipped the sign and unlocked the door, propping it open with his hip. "Come on in, gentlemen, I saved the best seat in the house for you," he said with a smile, waving the old men inside.

They sat at the same table they always did-- by the window so Ken could keep an eye on Ruby, his cow dog. Bitty brought them their coffee and put in their orders for their usuals before starting the process of taking his cream pies out of the walk in and putting them in the refrigerated display case.

The next wave of customers came in after he had put the Banana Foster Cream Pie in the case and he rushed over to take their orders. It wouldn't be long until Larissa came in for her shift and Bitty could start working on baking off the pies proper.

Bitty smiled when he saw Roy eyeing the case curiously. That man and his sweet tooth.

The shift was going smoothly. Bitty was on track pie wise and Larissa was keeping up with the needy seniors easily. Bitty bent down to slide a Shoo-Fly pie into the oven when he felt a strange shift in his back, followed by a hot pulse of pain. He gasped as he braced himself against the counter, slowly straightening back up.

"You alright Bitty?" Dex asked from his station, barely looking up from the flapjacks he was minding.

"Lord, I think I might have thrown out my back," Bitty replied, wincing as pain radiated through his hips.

Dex frowned. "You should go have that checked out. You don't want permanent damage."

Bitty waved him off and went back to his work station to finish rolling out the crust for his dark chocolate pecan pie. "I'll be fine. I'll finish off my shift and go by the doctor's if it doesn't feel any better."

"You're the boss," Dex muttered, stacking the flapjacks on a plate before adding bacon. "Can you run this to Marge? And she needs..."

"...The sugar free syrup, I know honey," Bitty said as he went over to get the plate. Each step was painful but he could handle it. What was life without a little pain?

By the end of his shift, however, the pain was radiating down his legs and his feet were tingling a bit, so he knew he'd have to go to the doctor. Dex dropped Bitty off at the clinic on his way home and he walked in, signed in, and handed a pie to the receptionist with a tight smile. "I think I might have pulled something in my low back and it hurts something fierce. Can y'all squeeze me in to have it looked at?"

"Sure thing, sweetheart, you go on ahead and take a seat and the doctor will get you in soon," the receptionist said as she peeked under the foil at the pie. "You tell your mama hi next time you see her, alright?"

"I sure will," Bitty said as he settled down in a chair, wincing a bit.

He took a deep breath as he waited, hands folded on his lap. 

* * *

"Now that can't be true."

"Mrs Williams I can assure you it is," Doctor Harris said, flipping through Bitty's chart. "You've got a bulging disc."

"I am not talking about the disc I am talking about the baby!" Bitty whispered, afraid someone would overhear him.

"Oh, right, right, congratulations to you and your husband, you must be very proud," the doctor said as he scribbled something down. "Now I can't give you much in the way of pain medication, but I am going to send you to a physical therapist. He is new in town but I have heard nothing but good things. I'll have Ruth up front give his office a call to get you an appointment set up, how's that? He should get that back of yours sorted out in now time. Ruth will also get you scheduled for your first set of scans for that little one of yours."

Bitty's head was spinning. He couldn't... he couldn't have a baby. Not now. He had plans, plans that didn't involve having a baby with Chet Williams and being stuck here in Madison for the rest of his life. He couldn't go through with this.

He went back to the receptionists desk on auto pilot, taking the appointment cards and staring down at the one for the physical therapist.

Jack Zimmermann, sports rehabilitation.

Bitty tucked everything into the front pocket of his apron and smoothed out his skirt before walking home slowly, wiping the tears from his cheeks as the world came crashing down around him.

He'd never get out of here, not now. He'd never get to be who he knew he was deep down inside. He'd never get to be Eric Bittle, he'd be stuck as Erin Williams, wife and mother and miserable.

He had composed himself by the time he made it home, back and legs aching. He didn't have long to sit on a bag of frozen peas before he'd have to start dinner, but maybe the cold would bring him a little relief.

Bitty settled a hand over his stomach for a brief moment before letting it drop away.

No matter what, he wasn't telling Chet.


	2. Chapter 2

The physical therapist's waiting room was very modern, all leather furniture and glass tables. The walls were covered in framed jerseys from what appeared to be hockey, along with photographs of various fierce looking players. One photograph in particular-- two young, sweaty men laughing with their arms slung over each other's shoulders-- stood out in its ornate gold frame. 

Bitty shifted a bit to try to relieve the pressure in his lower back, but it didn't help. He frowned down at his legs, his demirely crossed ankles, and sighed. 

"Erin?" Called a male voice and Bitty stood up, smoothing down his uniform's skirt. 

"Call me Bitty, please, I'm not really a fan of my name," Bitty said in a rush as he came forward, meeting the man at the door. 

"I'll make a note," the man said with a little smile, holding out his hand. "I'm Jack. Nice to meet you." 

Bitty returned the smile and shook Jack's hand. "Nice to meet you too. Are you the one whose gonna make all my pain go away?" 

"Well, that's seems like a lofty goal but I am going to do my best to get your back in shape," Jack said with a little nod. "Now follow me back." 

Jack was built like a superhero. Broad shoulders narrowed to a trim waist, and his butt looked positively sinful in his suit pants. Someone dressed like they were planning to play golf had no place looking so good. 

Bitty forced himself to look up. He was not here to ogle the unfairly handsome doctor, he was here to try to get that bulgimg disc of his to stop bulging. 

The ogling was fun, however. 

"Alright, so tell me how you hurt your back," Jack said as he shut the exam room door, putting Bitty's chart down. 

"Goodness, right down to business," Bitty said as he eyes a giant exercise ball warily. "Well, I work at the diner. I was just putting a pie in the oven and bam, it felt like a hot poker. I can't seem to get much relief, and the clinic said you're real good at what you do, so here I am." 

"Here you are," Jack said with a little smile that was far more devastating than it had any right to be. He sat down on the exercise ball with a little bounce and waved Bitty over. "Why don't you stand here in front of me and I can assess your hips and spine. A lot of the time injuries like this are because our bodies are compensating for a different issue. We fix that issue, train our bodies to work how they are meant to, we can fix these problems too." 

"Lord, my body definitely needs a lot of training to fix all its issues," Bitty muttered as he moved over to Jack, facing away from him. 

"I am going to touch you now, is that alright?" Jack asked. His voice was soft and so so sincere and part of Bitty melted. He knew realistically that it was just professional courtesy, but he couldn't remember the last time someone had taken his comfort into account when it came to physical touch. The number of times a customer had rested their hand on his ass or lower back was frankly horrifying. The cook they had before they hired Alexei had also made it a point to tell Bitty that he should invest in a push up bra. Bitty had worn a binder to work from then on, and that cook had gotten fired for stealing meat from the freezers. 

"Yes, that's fine," Bitty said, trying not to sound as flustered as he felt. Jack's touch was careful, first on his hips then up his spine. Bitty shivered, closing his eyes when Jack centered in on the source of the pain. 

"Your pelvis are tied into this for sure, and it might have something to go with the way your body is changing to make room for the baby," Jack said as his hands fell away. "Congratulations, by the way." 

Bitty tensed. "Well. I..." he began. "Sorry, can we not talk about the 'b' word?" 

Jack was silent, hesitant, but soon recovered. "Yes, of course. I am sorry I brought it up." 

"Oh no! You're fine! It's just... my husband isn't... I am not sure..." Bitty stammered. "Lord, I don't know. You definitely are not here to listen to all my anxiety about that. How do you want me?" 

Bitty around and looked down at Jack, whose brow was furrowed a bit. He quickly schooled his facial expression and looked down at Bitty's skirt. "Do you happen to have anything on under that dress? I would like to get you on an inversion table but that can wait until next time when you wear pants." 

"I always have on shorts under here, you don't have to worry about me," Bitty said with a shrug. "Also can I please have a doctor's note for pants? I would bring you a pie every day for the rest of your life if I could stop wearing this silly uniform. I can't stand it." 

Jack laughed as he stood. "I'll see what I can do. First I want to get you on the table, face down. I am going to use a massage gun to try to loosen some of the muscles. You are too tight to really do much more than that, but next time we will probably do a little more deep tissue work. Are you comfortable on your stomach?" 

"Yeah, fine," Bitty said as he laid on the table, folding his hands under his head. "Ah... if you... if you feel a weird shirt under there it's my binder. So. If... if I need to take that off or not wear it just let me know." 

"You are fine with it for now," Jack said, unfazed by the information. "But there may come a time where your chest is too sensitive for it because... well. The 'b' word. So keep that in mind." 

Bitty held his breath for a moment as a cold dread settled in his gut. "Okay. Yeah. I... sorry, could you... my husband doesn't know about it or... or anything, really, so if you could keep that a doctor patient thing I would... of course I know you will, I just. You know. He'd flip. About a lot." 

"You don't think he'd be supportive of you presenting your body in a way that makes you most comfortable?" Jack asked, an edge to his tone. 

Bitty sighed. "Far too close to that 'gay shit' for him," he muttered. 

"Right..." Jack replied tightly. There was rustling behind Bitty and the buzz of a motor starting up. "I am just going to work along your electors, loosen them up. Just take deep breaths and let me do all the work." 

Bitty nodded, starting a bit when the machine made contact. It was a strange sensation at first but soon enough the tense muscles gave way and Bitty melted into the table. 

All too soon the machine was turned off and Jack was there to help Bitty back to his feet. "This is going to be weird, but it will help decompress your spine and hopefully get that disc back where it needs to be," Jack said as he got Bitty buckled into the inversion table. 

Bitty started to say something but fell silent when Jack just... flipped him upside down. His initial response was one of panic but that soon settled down when he felt the pressure in his lower back subside like magic. "Lord I could kiss you..." Bitty groaned, wiggling his toes a bit. 

"It's good, right?" Jack said with a proud little smirm ask he sat back down on the exercise ball, jotting something down in Bitty's notes. "Onve you've been on there for a bit I am going to show you some stretches and exercises to help build up those muscles a little. You okay with a little weight training? Nothing too strenuous." 

"Whatever you say, I will do anything to have access to this wonderful contraption again," Bitty slurred. 

Jack chuckled. "Good. And you really need to eat more protein. It's good for muscle and bone health. Especially if you are considering undergoing testosterone treatment at any point. I don't want to presume anything, but..." 

"You... I... I mean, I've..." Bitty sputtered, eyes wide as he tried to gauge Jack's expression. It was difficult to do upside down. "I ain't doing any of that while I am here, that's for sure. But...I mean. I have long term plans. So... protein. Got it." 

"There are plenty of places and plenty of people who would be very supportive of whatever you choose," Jack said as he sat the chart aside, bouncing a bit in the exercise ball. "Not everywhere is Madison, Georgia. This place is very... unique." 

"Is that a nice way of saying backwards?" Bitty asked slyly. Jack's cheeks flushed and Biggy laughed. "I am not judging that assessment at all! I was born and raised here, I know how it is. I latched on to the big dumb football player real early just so I wouldn't have to think about all that mess. He proposed at graduation and the rest has been... the rest. Being with him kept me safe from a lot of teasing. I begged my daddy every year to let me try out for the football team but not even being the coach's little girl could make that happen for me. Anything but cheerleader, Lord. I did figure skating but that got too expensive and I hated those dumb skating costumes." Bitty took a deep breath. "Lord, all the blood has rushed to my head, I am just rambling away like a loon. You can tell me to shut up any day now." 

Jack chuckled. "Your face is the preferred shade of purple," he said as he stood, moving to put Bitty to rights. "But I don't mind listening to you talk. Seems like you might need someone to listen sometimes. I don't mind." 

"Well aren't you the sweetest," Bitty said, steadying himself by grabbing Jack's forearms while his head spun. "You most definitely are not from around here." 

"Canadian, maple syrup flows through my veins," Jack said with a proud little smirk. "I came here to take over a practice ran by my mentor for a while. It's a nice change of pace. I am used to dealing with hockey injuries but pie injuries are just as interesting." 

"That is a lie and we both know it," Bitty said with a laugh. 

They chatted all through the stretches and the exercises that Jack taught him. Talking to Jack was easy, so easy that sometimes Bitty forgot that they had just met that day. When it was time for him to go Bitty hesitated, the doctor's note for pants in his hands. "Thank you, Jack," he said. "I mean it. For everything." 

"Sure thing, just doing my job," Jack said, something unreadable in his expression. 

"What kind of pie do you like?" Bitty asked, planting a hand on his hip. 

Jack winced. "How mad will you be if I say I don't like sweets?" 

Bitty gasped in mock shock then waved a dismissive hand. "Not at all if you agree to let me try to prove that wrong." 

Jack's tension eased a bit. "Deal." 

Bitty's smile brightened. "Deal. See you next time." 

Bitty couldn't wait till next time. 


	3. Chapter 3

"Now you know as well as I do that Sweet as Sugar Pie is calling your name," Bitty said with a little smile as he planted a hand on his hip. 

"You do not need to twist my arm as long as you don't go telling my husband I had some without him," Gina from the post office said with a little smile. 

"I can pack him up a slice if you think you could make it home with it," Bitty offered. 

Gina shook her head as she fished through her purse. "Now we both know that ain't gonna happen, girl." 

Bitty's smile wavered a bit. "Alright. Just the one slice, then. I'll be right back." 

He didn't know why he let it bother him so much. Gina meant nothing by it. She was always nothing less than a sweetheart, she just... she didn't know. That's all. And probably if she knew she'd be more than happy to switch that pronoun over. 

But if Bitty told her, she'd probably tell her husband Jamal. And if Jamal knew, then the rest of the guys who worked at the machine shop outside of town would know and if they knew, lord knows how quickly word would get back to Bitty's parents, not to mention Chet. Word travels fast in a small town, especially something as strange as that. 

Bitty dropped off a slice of sugar pie and was headed to top off everyone's sweet tea when the bell above the door chimed. "Welcome in, just grab a seat wherever and I'll be right with you." 

By the time Bitty had refilled the glasses and grabbed menus, the new patrons had seated themselves. Bitty hesitated slightly in front of their booth, eyes going wide. 

It was Jack. Cute physical therapist Jack. He was with a slightly shorter but incredibly fit blonde man who Bitty recognized from the picture in the waiting room. Together they looked unreal, cut out of a magazine. Too attractive to live. Bitty was insanely jealous. "Well hello again, Jack," Bitty said as he laid the menus down in front of the pair. "Welcome to the place that broke my back." 

Jack chuckled as the blonde man picked up the menus, holding them back out. "We don't need these," he said with a saccharine smile. "Jack wants chicken tenders with french fries and a side of gravy and I want a sirloin, medium rare with steamed broccoli. Water to drink." 

"Alright," Bitty said as he took the menus, trying his very best not to bristle. "Jack, you want brown gravy or white?" 

"Ah, brown, I think," Jack replied.

Bitty winced. "You want to try that one again?" He asked. 

"Brown's more like poutine," The blonde man said to Jack, ignoring Bitty altogether. 

"The brown gravy's from a packet, I make the white gravy from scratch," Bitty said with a shrug. 

"I'll try the white gravy, then," Jack said with a smile. "Sounds good." 

"You aren't going to like it," the other man grumbled, leaning back in his seat. He then glanced to Bitty, looking bored. "Are you going to write any of that down?" 

"I don't need to, I've got it down," Bitty said with a nod. "I'll get yoir order put in. You also might want to check out the dessert case. Today's specialty pie is..." 

"We aren't sweets people, thanks," The blonde man said as he took his black ball cap with a spade on it off and dropped it onto the tabletop. His blonde hair looked perfectly tousled even under the hat. 

"Right, well, I'll go get y'all those waters," Bitty said sith a forced smile, going to pass off the order to Alexei before filling up two glasses to bring back over to the table. Bitty put them down and set back off to help Derek clear away the empty tables. He found himself glancing back over to Jack and the blonde fairly regularly, and it wasn't long until Derek caught him staring. 

"You checking out Kent Parson?" Derek asked with a little smirk, waggling his eyebrows. "It's weird that he's here, right?" 

"That's my physical therapist he's with," Bitty said. "I am guessing Kent Parson is a big time hockey guy?" 

"Plays for Vegas, they won the Cup last year, they're looking good to maybe win back to back," Derek said as he stacked the empty cups. "How do you think he knows Doctor with the Good Ass?" 

Bitty snorted. "There's a picture of the two of 'em together on the ice, so I figure they are old teammates," he said with a shrug. A bell from the kitchen rang and Bitty went to get Jack and Kent’s orders. 

When he dropped off the plates Kent leaned forward a bit to look at the bowl of gravy. "That isn't white. Why is it called white gravy if it isn't white?" 

"Kenny..." Jack sighed before looking up at Bitty apologetically. 

"It's made with cream and flour, that's where the white comes in," Bitty said. "If you don't like it I can go get you a bowl of that brown gravy, not to worry." 

"It looks great, thanks," Jack said as he unfolded his napkin. 

Bitty turned to go but Kent cleared his throat. "Can you take this back to the cook, it's undercooked. You told him medium rare, right?" 

Bitty turned back around and looked down at the steak that Kent had cut into. It looked perfectly well cooked to Bitty, but the customer was always right. "Sure thing, I'll have Alexei cook it off a little more for you," Bitty said, taking the plate and heading back to the kitchen. 

Alexei was frying up a row of hamburgers and humming along to the radio. When he saw Bitty standing there with a plate in hand he narrowed his eyes. "What?" 

"He said it's undercooked," Bitty said with a little wince. 

"Is not undercooked!" Alexei replied. "He say medium rare, I cook medium rare. He don't really want medium rare, he eat at places afraid to cook meat the right way." 

"Alexei, honey, I know that, but can you just cook it a little bit longer please?" Bitty asked as he brought the steak over. 

"Yes, is fine," Alexei muttered. "What sort of person order steak at diner? Crazy person, is who." He cooked the steak a little more on either side before plopping it back down on the plate. "Go. Now he complain is too done, I know." 

Bitty didn't say anything, he just took the steak back to the table. "Why don't you check it now, see if its how you like it," he said with a too-bright smile. 

Kent picked up his knife and fork, cut into another section of the meat, and laid his knife and fork down. "Now it's too done. The cook does know what medium rare is, right?" 

"He does, yeah, the grill top might just be acting up today," Bitty said as he took the plate again. "We'll get you another one cooked, not a problem at all." 

Bitty braced himself as he went back to the kitchen. Sure enough, Alexei was waiting, eyes narrowed and spatula in hand. "I knew," Alexei hissed, snatching the plate away from Bitty and slapping another steak on the grill top, muttering all the while. "Don't you worry, I take to picky customer when is done. I'm make sure he like." 

Bitty's eyes widened. "Tater, sweetheart, I'm not sure..." 

"I take!" Tater yelled, brandishing the spatula again like a weapon. At least it wasn't a knife, Bitty supposed. 

"Alright, I'm just going to... good luck," Bitty said, ducking back out of the kitchen to go check on the other tables. Derek tended to get a little fixated on mercilessly flirting with elderly women and hopelessly straight country boys anyway, just to see how red he could make their milquetoast faces go. 

The kitchen door swung open widely and Alexei came stomping out, his apron greasy and a bandanna tied around his head. The sleeves of his t-shirt were rolled up and he was wearing a hideous pair of yellow Crocs that he claimed were the most comfortable for cooking. He walked right towards Kent Parson and plopped the plate down in front of him before crossing his arms over his chest. "Cut steak, see if how you like." 

Bitty couldn't see Kent's face but he could see Jack's. Jack, bless, was doing his best to not look too embarrassed or too amused. He dipped one of his fries in gravy and shoved it in his mouth. 

"I didn't ask to speak to the chef about it," Kent said as he picked up his silverware. 

"We not speaking, I'm watch you, make sure you like," Alexei replied with a tight smile. _"Trudneye byt' krysinkoy pered ch'im-to litsom."_

Kent stilled for the briefest of moments before his shoulder moved to show he was cutting into the steak. _"_ _Igrayu s russkimi,"_ Kent said before taking a bite, chewing thoughtfully. _"_ _Vse khorosho."_

"Good, enjoy lunch," Alexei said, his face bright red as he whipped around and went back to the kitchen.

"What the hell was that?" Derek hissed in Bitty's ear, causing Bitty to jump a bit.

"Now how the heck do I know?! Go refill Claudene's coffee please," Bitty said, pushing the coffee pot into Derek's hand.

When Bitty finally made it back over to Jack and Kent they were finished. "So I'm guessing the gravy was a win?" Bitty asked Jack. "Do I get to say I told you so?"

"You did, it was great," Jack said as he picked up the ticket, only to have it snatched away by Kent.

"My treat, babe," Kent said as he leaned to the side to fish out his wallet. "Do you guys take cards or is it one of those cash only places?"

"We do exist in the 21st century, yes," Bitty said with a little laugh. Kent didn't seem amused as he passed over a gold card. "I'll be right back with your credit card receipt." He ran the card, dropped off the receipt, and let them be with only minimal spying. Kent went to the restroom and Jack chatted with Paul Green, who had just had shoulder surgery and was probably going to physical therapy, come to think of it. Soon enough they were gone and Bitty went to clear away their table. Kent had left a sizeable tip on the credit card, but Jack... sneaky Jack... had left a twenty under his plate.

Bitty stuck that twenty in the communal tip jar, because he knew Alexei wouldn't take it.

Lord. Jack's taste was... something else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Russian translations: 
> 
> "It's harder to be a little rat to someone's face." 
> 
> "I play with Russians." "It's fine."


	4. Chapter 4

Bitty took a deep breath and put down his purse, reaching down to unbutton his pants. There was no way that he was going to be wearing real pants for the foreseeable future, even if he had a doctor's note. He was gonna wear yoga pants and no one could stop him.

He wasn't going to consider why his pants were a little too tight, nope.

"Your ass looks bigger in pants, I like it," Chet called over the television from the living room.

Bitty bristled, toeing off his shoes. "Always the charmer, I swear," Bitty called back, trying to keep the annoyance out of his tone.

"Where have you been, why isn't dinner on the table?" Chet asked as he turned the television down a bit.

Bitty sighed as he took the enchiladas out of the fridge and turned on the oven to preheat. "Chet, now you knew I had physical therapy after work today, I told you before I left. That's why I got the enchiladas put together yesterday so all I have to do is put them in the oven. Dinner will be ready soon. Do you want me to get you a beer while you wait?"

There was a loud belch from the living room. "Will you bring me two? Thanks, babe."

Bitty sighed and got two beers from the fridge, bringing them to Chet. "How many have you had already?"

Chet gave Bitty an easy smile, smoothing his hand over his overgrown flat top. "Never you mind, sugar. Now get those enchiladas in the oven."

"Alright," Bitty said with a little laugh before turning to go.

He really should have expected the swat to his ass as he walked away, but he didn't. Bitty jumped at the smack and reached behind him to swat away Chet's hand, but he'd already moved on to crack open one of his beers.

Bitty stayed in the kitchen and watched the minutes tick down as the enchiladas baked off. His mouth was watering as he watched the cheese bubble on the top. He almost felt faint, and he only just realized that he hadn't eaten anything all day.

He probably couldn't get away with doing that for much longer without passing out. He'd have to be better about that. It seemed like it took forever but the timer went off and Bitty didn't hesitate to get the casserole dish out of the oven and serve them both up enchiladas, carrying the plates into the living room and settling down beside Chet on the sofa.

"Thanks baby girl," Chet said, patting Bitty's thigh before cutting up the enchiladas on his plate, hissing through his teeth when he took an impatient bite. "That cheese is hot and hell," he said, flinging a bit of cheese off his thumb.

"You just have to be a little patient, Chet, or you're gonna hurt yourself," Bitty said as he cut up his own serving of enchiladas. "How was work today?"

Chet was sucking his burned thumb, but he made a noncommittal sound. "I was late, so the manager sent me home," Chet said, shaking his head before he drained the rest of his beer and cracked open the second. "Asshole. I wasn't even that late and he called someone in to cover my shift. I'm going to find a different job, that asshole can't tell me what to do anymore."

Bitty took a slow breath, closing his eyes. "Chet, you had a hard time getting this job at the lumber yard, and if you go and quit that boss isn't going to put in a good word for you next job. Why were you late, even?"

Chet groaned. "Erin, I don't need you riding my ass right now, I need you supporting me. If you can't do that you can keep your mouth shut."

Bitty took a big bite and chewed it slowly, keeping his mouth occupied so he didn't talk. He swallowed and leaned back against the back of the sofa.

Chet shoveled down his meal and drained the rest of his beer. "I'm going to bed," he muttered, giving his empty plate and beer cans to Bitty. "Clean that shit up before you go to bed, I don't want bugs."

"Good night Chet," Bitty said, gathering everything up and taking it to the kitchen. He put the leftovers away, washed the dishes and pulled out his phone, thumbs hovering over his messages.

He opened up his contacts and typed out a message, sending it before he could stop himself.

_Thank you for today. I didn't get to ice like you told me to, I'm sorry. Would it still help after all this time? I'm sorry if I'm botherin' you. EB  
_

_This is Bitty, by the way. EB  
_

Eric was about to plug his phone in when it buzzed a couple of times in quick succession.

**_Oh, hey Bitty. JZ_ **

**_Yeah, ice will help some of the swelling even after this time. Next time I'm going to have you ice it before you leave a little so it gets some ice and you get a little time to rest. JZ_ **

_**Doctor's orders. JZ** _

Eric smiled, leaning against the kitchen counter as he typed.

_Yes sir Doctor sir. EB  
_

_I'm sorry I'm not the model patient. EB  
_

_But you've helped me a lot. EB  
_

_I appreciate it. EB  
_

**_Of course. It's what I'm here for. JZ_ **

**_I... ah. I didn't say anything at your appointment but I wanted to apologize for Kent the other day at the diner. He can be a little bit of a diva sometimes. He's used to Vegas. JZ_  
**

_Oh honey, it's alright. It takes all kinds. I've definitely dealt with worse. And you tipped me so well it made up for it. EB  
_

_It must be hard, being so far away from your partner. Why on earth did you come here if you were in Vegas before? EB  
_

_LORD that was a personal question you don't have to answer that! EB_

_**Ha no, it's okay. Like I said before, my mentor needed someone to come take over this practice and it's nice to have a little break. Vegas is a lot. JZ**  
_

**_And Kent is away a lot, so it's really not that different. If he weren't away so much I'm not sure we would like each other very much most of the time haha JZ_ **

Bitty sighed, reading over that message again before sending his own.

_I sure wish Chet would go away for a while. Lord this man tries my patience. EB  
_

_But I don't need to dump my relationship issues on you! You're supposed to help my back issues! But I have a question: do you like enchiladas? EB  
_

_I made 'em for dinner and have some leftovers. I can bring some to you at my next appointment? EB  
_

Bitty expected him to say no, to say that it wasn't appropriate, but was surprised with Jack texted back.

_**I do, yeah. I'd be honored to have some of your leftovers home cooking. I'll see you then. JZ  
** _

__

Bitty smiled widely, stomach filled with butterflies as he read the message again. He plugged his phone in and took a deep breath, steeling himself before going back to the bedroom.

Chet was already snoring, which was a relief. Bitty took a shower to wash away the day and climbed into bed. As soon as he was still he was asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Shift change was Bitty's most favorite time of day. The early bird staff would usually stick around to have a meal together and get the dinner crew caught up on what they were running low on and all the hottest gossip from around town. Mornings were always best for gossip. 

Dex had taken off his chef's jacket and thrown it over the back of the booth before sliding in next to Bitty, looking exhausted. He had been more than happy to pass the spatula off to Alexei when he'd arrived for his shift. He liked Alexei much better than the weekend grill cook, who was perpetually confused but who always managed to stay on top of his tickets. 

"Dex, honey, if you were anyone else I would be put off by the smell of fried onions, but it suits you," Bitty teased before draining his glass of water in one long gulp. 

"Sorry Bitty," Dex muttered, picking up his pristine white t-shirt sleeve and sniffing it. He wrinkled his nose. "That's rank. That flat top holds the smells of nearly a century's worth of food." 

As soon as Caitlin punched her time card Larissa threw herself down in the booth with them, holding up an empty mug until Derek came over to fill it. 

Dex was already turning red. 

"What does everyone want and I'll try to get Tater off his phone long enough to get it made," Derek said as he poured coffee for Dex too, even though he hadn't asked for any. "Will? Any special requests?" 

"Just a bowl of the gumbo, there should still be some left," Dex said, not quite able to look Derek in the face and instead looking at his gold-painted fingernails. "And a slice of whatever pie there is the most of left in the case." 

"You got it, Sunshine," Derek said with a smirk and a wink that everyone but Dex got to enjoy. 

"Burger me, Nursey," Larissa said before blowing the paper off of her straw across the booth at Bitty. 

Bitty wasn't really all that hungry, having been fighting morning sickness pretty much his entire shift, but he knew he needed to eat something. "Can you make me a BLT but use fried green tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes?" He ordered. 

"We can do anything for you, not to worry," Derek said with a nod. "I'm going to go get these put in." With that he left, a bounce in his step. 

"I don't understand how he gets away with wearing those shorts," Larissa muttered as she watched him leave. "If I had on shorts that short some old bitty would complain about that Oriental girl trying to make a little extra money on the side as a 'masseuse'." 

"It wouldn't surprise me if Derek had that particular side hustle," Bitty said with a little laugh, watching him lean through the order window to get Tater's attention. "That one is a boy of many talents." 

"No one complains about his shorts because the old ladies love it and none of the dudes want to admit they were looking at his legs in the first place," Dex said before taking a drink of his coffee. He put the mug down and pushed it towards Bitty. "Take a drink of that."

Bitty took a deep breath. "I can't, I'm cutting out caffeine," he said, pushing the cup back to Dex. "Why?"

Dex narrowed his eyes a bit. "Because it tastes fresh, and the coffee is never fresh at this time of day."

"Why are you cutting out caffeine?" Larissa asked, narrowing her eyes a bit as she studied Bitty.

Bitty ignored the question. "I saw Derek put a fresh pot on," he said to Dex, smirking a bit. "I think he knew you'd want a cup or two."

"Or he wanted some," Dex added, glaring at the mug before taking another drink to hide his furious blush.

"Oh, I think he wants some alright," Larissa added, waggling her eyebrows as she took a drink of her own coffee.

"I hate you," Dex said, even though he couldn't help his smile.

Derek came over with their plates, giving Lardo and Bitty theirs first before presenting Dex with his. "I hope you aren't talking about me," Derek said with a little smirk as he leaned against the table.

"We were talking about how good the coffee was, actually," Bitty said with a smile. "Thanks for making a fresh pot for us, Derek!"

"Hold on hold on hold on, let's circle back around to Bitty, Queen of Caffeine, cutting back on caffeine?" Larissa said as she squeezed ketchup onto her burger. "Why?"

"Well, I just... I want to be a little healthier," Bitty said as he smiled slightly.

"I have a theory," Derek stage-whispered, leaning towards Lardo.

"So do I," Dex said as he picked up his spoon. "That it's none of our business."

Derek frowned. "Spoilsport," he muttered and stood up, putting his hands on the small of his back and stretching with a groan. "Well, alright. I'll mind my business, Sexy Dexy. Enjoy your meal and I won't tell you about about the hot goss I have about the Mad Russian in the kitchen."

"We don't care about your gossip," Dex said before taking a bite of his meal.

Derek sighed and walked away.

"I sort of cared about the gossip," Bitty admitted as he picked up a potato chip. "I guess I will have to use my imagination."

Larissa took a big bite and chewed thoughtfully. After she swallowed she shrugged. "He probably met someone and won't tell Nursey about it, so Nursey's starting rumors. Remember when that one girl worked here for like two weeks and left her last shift in tears because of that table of Karens? Yeah, Nursey started the rumor that she had to go into the witness protection program. He lives for drama. I don't know why Dex has such a crush on him, honestly."

"I still hate you," Dex said, flicking a bit of okra at Larissa.

"Now I think it's cute, hush," Bitty said, patting the back of Dex's hand. "Don't listen to her. When you feel ready to go on a date then you'll go, right?"

Dex coughed, covering his face with his hands as he let out a groan.

"I'm going to take that choking as a yes," Larissa said with a laugh before licking some grease from her fingertips.

"Oh come on, we need to leave him alone before he chokes for real," Bitty said, patting Dex on the back lightly. "It's alright, honey. You'll be alright."

The rest of their meal was eaten with relatively little fanfare, all of them happy and full and tired. "Bitty, you need a ride home?"

"No, it's alright, it might be nice to walk, and I need to stop by the grocery store to pick up a few things for dinner. Thanks though. I sure appreciate it."

"Does Chet the Cheat not have a problem with you getting rides home?" Larissa asked as she stacked their plates.

"He likes Dex, and he'd rather I get a ride then him have to get up and take me to work," Bitty said with a shrug as he stood. "Alright. Same time same place tomorrow?"

"I'll walk with you as far at the grocery store, I go that direction anyway," Larissa said with a smile.

"Alrighty," Bitty said with a smile, heading out with Larissa.

They walked in silence for a bit before Larissa sighed. "Alright, so... I have a theory and you don't have to confirm or deny the theory. But my theory is that you're pregnant."

Bitty stumbled over an uneven bit of pavement and caught himself with a little gasp. Larissa hooked her arm through his and made sure he stayed upright. When he had righted himself he pressed the back of his hand to his cheek. "Lardo, you can't tell anyone. Please. I haven't... I haven't decided what I want to do yet. Just... please please keep it between us."

Larissa shook her head. "Hey... Bitty, come on. I'm not going to tell anyone. I just... if you need help I'm here. Does Chet know?"

Bitty shook his head. "No. I... I don't want him to know yet. I'd hoped to be able to leave him by then. But I don't know. I don't know."

Larissa sighed, sliding her hand over Bitty's back. "It's okay. Hey, you have us. Whatever you need you know we'll help you. Chet the Cheat or no Chet the Cheat."

Bitty huffed out a laugh, wiping a tear from his face. "Thanks, Larissa. You're so sweet. And, ah. Just one more thing. Can you... can you use... ah. male pronouns with me? Just when we're in private, I mean... I don't want everyone to know, but... it would make me feel better. If you did."

Bitty couldn't quite look at Larissa as they came to a stop in the front of the grocery store. He took a slow breath before looking over towards her.

She was smiling and she came forward, wrapping her arms around Bitty and pulling him into a hug. "Oh my god Bitty, I wish you would have said something years ago! Fuck, of course I will. If you need any help with anything, I will. I love you so much. Jesus, you deserve the world."

"You are so sweet," Bitty said with a sniffle, hugging her back. "Thank you. I know I don't talk about stuff a lot, but... I'll try. I want to be happy, Larissa. So much. And I'm trying to do what's best."

Larissa pulled back to look him in the eye. "So here's what you do. You win that baking contest and you pick up and move as far away from Chet as possible. Get out of here."

"I like it here," Bitty said with a sad smile. "I just... don't like the life I have here. But yeah, I'm going to win that durn contest and everything will be so much better. I swear. Now I better get my groceries and get on home before Chet beats me to it. He was supposed to be going into Atlanta for an interview today, so let's hope it went well."

"Yeah, maybe they'll send him to another country where they like to kill annoying ass white dudes," Larissa said, squeezing Bitty's hand. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

Bitty nodded. "Yeah. Remember I have to leave right after my shift to make it to PT, so no debriefing lunch for me."

Larissa shrugged. "We'll get you something packed up. You need to take better care of yourself."

Bitty blushed but nodded. "I'm trying," he said before hugging her once more.


	6. Chapter 6

Bitty bounced a little on the exercise ball, a masterpiece of a pie in his lap. Jack was running a little behind with the patient scheduled before him, but Bitty wasn't in any hurry.

The pie smelled awful good, though. The caramelized sugar was just right on top and the crust's crimps were some of his best work. His stomach growled a little bit, even though he'd scarfed down a half a sandwich on his walk over from the diner to Jack's office.

Bitty picked a little bit of the crust and dropped it into his mouth, enjoying his flaky, buttery morsel.

That was when Jack came in. Of course he did. He was wearing a blue polo shirt that was almost the exact same color as his eyes, tucked into his khakis as always.

"Hey, sorry for you wait, Mrs Fredricks... well, anyway," Jack said, shaking his head as he put Bitty's chart down on the counter. "How are you doing, how is everything feeling?"

"Oh, I feel right as rain, just a little stiff sometimes but that's nothing new," Bitty said with a smile, standing up and holding out the pie with a smile. "And I made you something. Now I think you'll like this one. It's not too sweet, I have the apples balanced out with some cinnamon and clove and other spices I think you'll really like. And it's got a special ingredient in there that I added just for you."

Jack took the pie, a slow smile growing on his face. "Thanks, it smells great. You made this all from scratch?"

Bitty pressed a hand to his chest, eyes going wide as he looked at Jack. "Oh. Oh no. Bless your heart. If I didn't know you any better I'd say you were trying to insult me here, mister. I always make every part of my pies from scratch, thank you very much."

"I didn't mean to offend," Jack said with a little laugh as he put the pie down on the counter. "Thanks. Really. I look forward to giving it a try. Now show me the range of motion stuff if you've been cleared by your doctor for all of it."

"Well you're my doctor in this whole situation, am I cleared?" Bitty asked, putting his hand in the small of his back as he leaned back a bit.

"Ah, I was talking about your OB," Jack said as he jotted a couple things down in Bitty's chart. He looked up at Bitty, eyebrows raised. "Is everything okay so far? All the tests and scans coming back normal?"

Bitty sighed, wincing a bit. "Well, here's the thing... I... I haven't gone."

Jack's brows furrowed. "Wh... well. Okay. That's concerning. Is there any reason why? I know you were a little scared when you first found out but I thought... well, it seems like you're a little more okay with it? Do... do you not have a friend, maybe, to go with you?"

Bitty let out a peal of laughter. "If you are seeing that, honey, I'm not sure what you're looking at," he said, his voice quivering a bit. "And I'm not going to ask any of my friends to do that."

Jack's lips were pressed into a thin line. He looked like he was thinking about something very deeply. "So, ah. I have an idea. I'm going to get you an appointment somewhere in Atlanta, and I'll take you. Every appointment you have, I'll take you. This way we're far enough away from Madison that the risk of running into someone who would recognize you is low."

Bitty's eyes were wide as he looked at Jack. "Jack, sweetpea, I... I can't ask that of you. That's too much."

Jack smiled, shaking his head a bit. "I know you can't ask, that's why I'm offering. I'm not going to force you, that isn't my place, but... I'd highly recommend it. It might ease a little of your anxiety."

Bitty blinked out a few tears, wiping them away quickly. "Jack... I... I don't know what to say."

Jack's smile was warm, so warm. "It's okay. You don't have to say anything, alright?"

Bitty couldn't really stop himself from moving forward and wrapping his arms around Jack's middle, pulling him into a hug. He rested his head against Jack's chest, another tear slipping free. "You are so nice to me," Bitty said softly before squeezing his eyes closed.

"You deserve it," Jack said softly, his voice so close to Bitty's ear that he had to be leaning in.

Bitty made to pull away, lifting his head from Jack's chest. He opened his eyes and Jack's face was right there, his gaze soft. Bitty's heart ached and he had to look away.

But Jack reached up, gently guiding his face back so they were, again, looking at one another.

Something came over Bitty. He stood up on his tiptoes and took Jack's face in his hands, only hesitating briefly before leaning in to kiss him.

And Jack? Jack kissed him back. Deeply. He pulled him in closer and Bitty couldn't help the soft sound of pleasure he made as Jack smoothed a hand down his back.

They kissed and kissed until Jack put his hand in the middle of the pie and they broke out into hysterical laughter.

Jack licked the filling of the pie from his fingers, smiling. "Apple. Nice."

"Oh my god..." Bitty muttered, pressing his hands to his flaming cheeks.

Life just got so, so much more interesting.


	7. Chapter 7

Bitty was... in heaven. There was no other word for it. His eyes were closed as he felt Jack's fingertips slide over his back and down his arm, and he turned his face into the pillow to hide his smile.

Jack slid his fingers through Bitty's hair, brushing it aside to press a kiss to the nob at the base of his neck before kissing a line downwards. When he reached the line of Bitty's binder he stopped, his forehead resting between Bitty's shoulder blades. "What are you doing back there, mister?" Bitty asked, a slow, blissful smile on his face.

"Your skin's so soft," Jack responded, his lips brushing against Bitty's skin and tickling in a pleasant way.

Bitty hummed, rolling over so he was facing Jack. It didn't take long before he was gathered close into Jack's arms and coaxed into a slow, deep kiss.

Heaven.

He didn't think he'd ever felt this... deeply known. He'd never been kissed like Jack kissed, touched like Jack touched. Like Bitty was something precious, desirable and worth each moment they spent together.

Jack pulled back slowly, settling his head back down on his pillow with a blissed-out smile on his beautiful face. "So... ah. You can stay over tonight if you want. Or I can take you home."

"I don't want to go home," Bitty said softly, stroking his hand down over Jack's chest. How did his pecks look that good? Lord have mercy...

"So don't," Jack said simply, laying his hand over Bitty's on his chest, lacing their fingers together. "Stay. I want you to stay."

Bitty wanted to cry. Jack was so earnest, so sincere. "I want to stay too," Bitty said softly, and the sad smile that crossed Jack's face at his tone made it clear that he knew that Bitty wasn't going to. "But I can't. Chet's bound to already be wonderin' where I am."

Jack nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I understand. So... I shouldn't... I shouldn't give you a ride home then, probably. If he's already bound to be suspicious of you being late."

"Yeah, I'd like to keep you away from all that if possible," Bitty said as he sat up, digging around in the sheets of Jack's bed in search of his underwear.

"I understand," Jack said, pushing back the blankets even more to make it easier for Bitty.

"I think you're on 'em, lift up that booty," Bitty said with a little laugh, tapping Jack's hip.

Jack lifted his hips with a little laugh and Bitty stuck his hand under him. Sure enough, there they were. Bitty pulled them on, laughing along with Jack. "Sorry, wasn't trying to hide them or anything," Jack said softly as he settled back down in the bed.

"Likely story," Bitty drawled, pulling on the briefs with a little smirk.

Jack's hand was on his hip, then his thigh. He then sighed. "Have lunch with me tomorrow?"

"You want to come by the cafe, meet me when I get off shift?" Bitty asked, reaching for his shirt. "Or would you like me to pick something up and bring it over?"

"You can come over to the clinic, and we can come upstairs to my apartment to eat lunch," Jack said as he pulled on his own boxer briefs. "If that's okay."

"That sounds great," Bitty said with a smile, stepping into his yoga pants. "What do you want? I'll get Dex to cook you up something special. Don't tell me you really just like chicken tenders."

"Well... normally I'm not that adventurous," Jack admitted, wrapping his arms around his knees. "But I can branch out. Surprise me. You seem to have a pretty good idea about what I might like."

"That I do," Bitty said with a smile, crossing over to press a kiss to Jack's lips. Bitty didn't mean to deepen the kiss, he really didn't, but Jack slid his hands up Bitty's sides and he was so, so tempted to climb back into the bed with him.

Bitty groaned and pulled back. He had to go if he was going to beat Chet home. "I really do have to go, honey. But I'll see you tomorrow. And I'll text you, if that's alright."

"More than alright," Jack promised. "Any time, you know that. Let me know when you make it home, alright?"

"Oh, Jack, I've got a competition in Atlanta in November, it's a baking competition," Bitty said softly. "Ah... I'm sure I could find a way up there, but I was thinking maybe... maybe you could go. With me. It would be nice having someone there rooting for me. If I win then... man. The sky's the limit."

Jack's smile was bright and beautiful. "Yeah. I'd love to go with you. Just text me the day and I'll make sure I don't schedule any appointments that day. And I'll text you when I have your appointment with the OB set up. We can get really used to that drive to Atlanta."

"I could get used to it, definitely," Jack said, climbing out of bed and leading Bitty to the door. "Alright. Tomorrow it is. I look forward to it."

"Me too," Bitty said softly, standing up on his toes to brush another kiss to Jack's lips. "I look forward to it too. You're so sweet. Goodness. You blow me away."

"Right back at you, bud," Jack said softly, opening the door. "Be careful on your way home, alright?"

Already the little rent house he shared with Chet didn't feel much like home anymore, not when he could be in Jack's bed getting loved on. He walked home with pink cheeks, flashes of his afternoon with Jack coming to the surface of his mind. It felt like a dream, all of it, a dream from which he didn't want to wake up.

As soon as he made it home he took a shower and tossed a load of laundry into the wash. He started some pasta boiling and threw together an easy sauce before putting some garlic bread in the oven.

Chet was home as Bitty was setting the table. He looked like he had been out doing something important: his pearl snap shirt was tucked into his jeans and he was wearing his good boots. "Hey babe, supper sure smells good," Chet said, going to wash his hands in the kitchen.

"Thanks, I thought spaghetti sounded pretty good," Bitty said with a smile as he settled down in his seat. Chet joined him after a bit with a beer and loaded up his plate. "How was your day?"

Chet cracked open his beer and took a long drink. "Well, second round of interviews went well with that manufacturing place. They said they are lookin' to have those spots filled by the end of the week, so I should be getting a call."

"That's good! I hope it works out," Bitty said, wrinkling his nose as he watched Chet drench his spaghetti in that gross sprinkle cheese that could hardly even be counted as cheese.

"What, you think it won't work out?" Chet asked, his tone dangerous.

"I didn't say that, I just meant sometimes we don't really know how things are going to go," Bitty said softly before taking a bite. It tasted amazing, so amazing that it brought tears to his eyes. It seemed like forever since he'd eaten something that tasted so good. He took another bite and chewed, letting out a pleased hum.

"It's fucking spaghetti, not an orgasm," Chet said with a little laugh. "Are you that hungry?"

"I guess I didn't realize how hungry I was," Bitty said after swallowing. "It was a long day."

"You had physical therapy, right? You aren't better yet?" Chet asked, taking another drink of his beer. "What the hell does that doctor even do?"

Bitty's cheeks flushed a little at the question. He knew that Chet was just trying to get a rise out of him, so he just shrugged. "Well... we're working on core strength to take some pressure off of my back. Being on my feet all day every day has sort of taken a toll, it seems. It was a long, busy day."

"As you keep saying," Chet said. "You didn't have to drive all the way to Atlanta, all you did was bring old ladies coffee."

"You really think that's all I do?" Bitty asked, bristling a bit. "Or are you just trying to get a rise out of me?"

"I don't care enough to get a rise out of you," Chet said, finishing off his beer and crushing the can. "I'm going to bed, I don't need this shit. How much did you make in tips?"

Bitty sighed and went to get his purse. Of course Chet wouldn't forget to take whatever money that Bitty had made.

It was a good thing that he'd already tucked away what he thought he could get away with.

Chet snatched away the money and tucked it into his pocket before standing. "Alright. I'm exhausted. Make some waffles for me for breakfast in the morning, will you?"

Bitty nodded, starting to clear away their dinner. "Okay. I can do that for you. You go rest."

Chet disappeared down the hallway and Bitty sagged against the dining room table, dropping his face in his hands.

He let himself cry for a little while before he went back to cleaning up.


	8. Chapter 8

Getting the day off at the diner was the easy part. Mr. Johnson was as sweet as honey and liked Bitty a lot. The hard part was coming up with a story with Larissa in case Chet came sniffing around looking for him. In the end, Larissa promised to cover for him and sent him on his way to Jack's office.

Bitty had his hood up and was singing along to his music as he walked through downtown, trying to ignore the fluttering panic in his chest.

Jack was taking him to Atlanta. He was taking him to a doctor that was going to make sure that he was healthy. That the baby was healthy.

Just thinking about that made Bitty a little lightheaded. Lord. In a little over an hour, he was going to lay eyes on his baby. The only thing that was keeping him from completely losing it was the fact that Jack was going to be there with him, holding his hand.

Bitty went up the stairs on the side of the building that lead to Jack's apartment on the second floor. Jack had closed his office all day, even though Bitty had insisted that wasn't necessary.

Jack had plans for the day, apparently. He was being cagey about what those plans were, but Bitty didn't want to press him too hard about it. Jack was excited, and he didn't want to ruin that excitement for him. 

Bitty let himself into Jack's apartment, twisting his finger around the string of his hoodie. "Jack?" Bitty called.

"In here," Jack replied from the kitchen. "I was just making us a little breakfast for the road. Do you like peanut butter and jelly?" 

"I can't say I've ever had one for breakfast, but I do like them," Bitty said as he made his way into the kitchen. Jack was standing there in a pair of well-worn jeans and a t-shirt, a flannel button-down open over it. He looked good, so good that Bitty felt a little weak in the knees. "Morning, handsome." 

"Right back at you," Jack said with a wide smile, bringing a sandwich over to Bitty before pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Feeling okay this morning?" 

"Yeah, I feel..." Bitty trailed off, looking down at the sandwich in his hands. "I mean. I'm okay." 

"Oh, bud..." Jack sighed, pulling Bitty into a gentle hug. "It's alright. What can I do to help?" 

"What you're doing right now is helping quite a bit," Bitty muttered against his chest, closing his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Jack, careful not to get peanut butter or jelly on his back. "Goodness, you are a good hugger." 

"I think you just needed a hug," Jack said softly, pressing a kiss to his temple. "Whatever it is, there's always a solution. You're never stuck." 

"Even if it feels that way?" Bitty muttered, nuzzling his nose against the well-worn fabric of Jack's shirt. 

"Even if it feels that way," Jack echoed. "What's got you most nervous, we can start there." 

Bitty drew in a slow breath, loosening his grip on Jack a bit. "Well. I don't like going to the doctor very much at the best of times, but this... they are going to be poking around in places I don't really... places that don't feel like mine, I guess." 

"I've talked to them, they know that you're a man and they won't do anything without your consent," Jack soothed. "And more than likely all they'll do this time is bloodwork and an ultrasound. Not a lot of poking around at all. That might change a little down the line, but they are going to do all they can to make sure you're comfortable, alright?" 

That did help a little. At any point, Bitty could say that he wasn't comfortable and they'd stop. Jack had made sure of that, had called ahead and talked to the clinic. "That's the big one, I guess," Bitty said softly, pulling back and ducking his head. "Thank you, Jack. I wouldn't have thought to call ahead, I don't want to be a bother." 

"You aren't a bother, it's a doctor's job to make sure you're healthy, both mind and body. If something they are doing disrupts that, they want to know about it," Jack said, tugging on one of the strings of Bitty's hoodie to emphasize his point. "And this clinic is a good one. They work with all sorts of different people who are having babies. They've seen a lot, and they do their best to understand what you're struggling with and going through." 

Bitty drew in a slow breath, looking up at Jack with wide, wet eyes. "You are so good to me," he whispered, his voice trembling a bit. "What on earth did I do to deserve you?" 

"Well... you slipped a disc," Jack said with a small, silly grin. "I'm not sure it was a fair trade-off, all things considered." 

Bitty took a slow breath and smiled, wiping his eyes. "It was. There isn't a doubt in my mind." 

Jack nodded. "I'm glad you think so. Now, I think we should hit the road." 

Bitty grabbed Jack's travel cup and the bottle of water that was sitting next to it and headed back outside and towards Jack's truck. He climbed into the passenger's seat and fastened his seatbelt. 

The hour-long drive to Atlanta was a pleasant one. Bitty ate his peanut butter sandwich quickly, as well as half of the extra that Jack had made. "Why is it that a sandwich always tastes better if someone else makes it for you?" Bitty asked conversationally as Jack fiddled with the radio. 

"That's a good question," Jack said, settling on a classic country station. "When I was little I was really picky, and pretty much the only thing my Maman could get me to eat was peanut butter and jelly. But only when Maman made them, Papa couldn't manage to do it right." 

"Goodness, you were picky," Bitty said with a little smile. "I thought peanut butter and jelly was an American thing, though. They eat 'em in Canada?" 

"Well, my mom's American," Jack said, tapping his thumbs against the steering wheel. "But peanut butter isn't American, it's Canadian." 

Bitty arched a brow. "Ah, I don't think so. George Washington Carver invented the stuff, and he was American as apple pie." 

"Nope, it was invented in Montreal," Jack said, popping the 'p' in nope. "Look it up." 

"Is this one of those things like Chekov in Star Trek, where you think everything was invented in Canada?" Bitty asked as he dug out his phone, tapping the question in. "Well, I'll be... I have been lied to my entire life! Why did they teach us lies? This is outrageous! Trying to diminish the accomplishments of our Northern neighbors! I should write a letter to the president!" 

Jack chuckled, glancing over at Bitty for a moment. "You'd be surprised the stuff you're taught in school that isn't true. I think we spend a good amount of our adult years trying to unlearn all of that stuff." 

"Ain't that the truth," Bitty muttered, putting away his phone again. "I think there are plenty of people out there who are more than happy to believe the lies, though. Just... coasting through life never thinkin' about anything too hard. I think it makes life easier to deal with." He sank down a bit further in the seat of the truck, watching the world pass by through the window. "You know, sometimes I wish I was like that. Just... content, you know? Comfortable with who I am and what I got. A lot of people would be happy, being in my place." 

"But you aren't, and there's nothing wrong with that," Jack said after a moment's consideration. "Absolutely nothing wrong. It's okay to want more." 

Bitty hummed, rolling his head to look towards Jack. "You have no idea how nice it is to have someone to talk to about all this. I've had all these feelings all cooped up inside of me for so long, it's nice to let them out and not be afraid of being judged. Goodness, Jack, where were you five years ago?" 

"Ah... I don't think you would have liked me much five years ago," Jack said with a little shake of his head. "I didn't like myself five years ago."

"I can't imagine not liking you," Bitty said earnestly. "Jack, you're amazing."

"Well... five years ago I had just overdosed on my anxiety meds and went to rehab," Jack said, keeping his tone low and even. "And when I finished rehab I went back to school for physical therapy."

"Well... when one door closes another opens," Bitty said after a moment, reaching over to rest his hand on Jack's knee. "If that hadn't happened you wouldn't be here. I wish you hadn't hurt so much but you've helped me hurt a lot less. And I hope you're hurting less now than you were then."

"I am, yeah," Jack said with a smile, resting his hand over Bitty's for a moment. "I like it in Madison. I like how... easy everything is there. I can relax. A welcome change of pace from Vegas for sure. I didn't live there too long, but it was long enough to know I didn't want to spend the rest of my life there. It's so much. You have no idea."

"The brightest lights in a big city," Bitty said with a little smile. "Plus Kent's a big famous hockey player, that can't make it easy to do anything around town." Jack drew in a slow breath and returned his hand to the steering wheel. Bitty pulled his own hand back, taking a deep breath as he looked out of the window. Of course he said the wrong thing, of course he had to bring up Jack's... significant other. "Sorry," Eric said softly.

Jack shook his head slightly. "It's okay. I don't mind. Things with him are... complicated. You don't want to hear about that. Today's about you and the baby. It's going to be good."

Eric smiled, stretching his legs. "Yeah. It's going to be good. I'm actually... I'm starting to look forward to it. Things are going to be good."

Jack smiled, turning up the radio a bit. Credence Clearwater Revival was playing, and they both started singing along about trouble on the way.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day, all!

Bitty hadn't let go of the little strip of black and white pictures since the nurse had handed them over. He cradled them in his lap as they left the doctor's office and went for lunch. He laid them out on the table after he was finished looking at the menu. 

Jack was quiet, allowing him time to process. He had ordered their drinks for them and had folded both of their straw wrappers into little stars. 

"I'm having a little girl, Jack," Bitty said softly, his fingertips tracing the edge of the print out. 

"That is what they said, they seemed pretty sure," Jack said softly. Bitty looked up and Jack was smiling. 

Bitty drew in a slow breath. "Do you want to look a little closer?" Bitty asked, hesitant. 

"I would love to," Jack said earnestly, holding out a hand for the pictures. Bitty passed them over and watched for Jack's reaction. Jack held the picture carefully at the edges as he looked it over, a small smile on his face. Jack looked up from the picture to Bitty then back down with a quick flick of his eyes. "I think she's got your nose," Jack said, looking back up and narrowing his eyes a bit. "A little button nose." 

Bitty laughed, resting his chin in his hands. "You think so?" he asked, his stomach light and fluttery. Jack's expression was soft as he looked at each angle of of the baby, fully formed and strong and healthy. That was one of the things that Bitty had been worried about, that they'd get to the doctor and there would be something wrong with the baby, something he could have prevented had he not waited so long to go to the doctor. It was nice that right now he didn't have any of that anxiety anymore. He knew she was healthy and growing at a normal rate, even if she was a little small for how far along the doctor had said Bitty was in the pregnancy. 

"I know so, I think she's going to look just like you," Jack said before carefully passing the pictures back over to Bitty. "Thanks for letting me bring you. How are you feeling?" 

Bitty let out a long sigh. "I feel good. Really good. Like a weight I didn't know I was holding has been lifted off my shoulders. Thank you for insisting on this, Jack, really. I appreciate it so much. It's good to know how much time I have left before the baby's here. I've got a timeline, you know." 

Jack nodded, moving his arms off the table as their waitress delivered their food. He smoothed his napkin in his lap before picking up his fork. "Yeah, exactly. You're going to that baking competition and winning, then the sky's the limit. You can move, get any procedure you need to affirm your gender, whatever you want." 

"I can't believe that is something so close, you know?" Bitty said, his voice shaking a bit with emotion as he watched Jack carefully cut up his chicken tenders into bite size pieces. They were clearly frozen tenders and not homemade, but Jack seemed excited enough about them so Bitty didn't say anything. "I'm so close to being able to make my own way without Chet, be who I was always supposed to be." 

Jack smiled as he dipped his bite into the bowl of white gravy on the side of his plate. "Yeah. You're almost there. Do you... are you close with your family? Do you think they'd help you get settled of you needed it?" 

Bitty sighed, dragging his spoon through his chicken and dumplings. "Well, I mean. I talk to my mama every week at least once, but it's never about anything super serious or anything," Bitty replied. "But if she knew I was having her grandbaby of course I think she'd help. There's just a lot about my life that she doesn't really understand, I guess. But I've also not taken the time to explain it all to her. A couple years after I married Chet my daddy took another coaching job in a little town near Augusta, and now that they've retired they've decided they like it there. A bigger town than Madison but not as crazy as Atlanta." 

"So they aren't too far away, then," Jack said with a nod. "You didn't really sound like a transplant to the area to me, but I just wanted to be sure." He smiled to himself as he chewed, proud of his little joke. 

Lord, Jack was the cutest thing. 

Soon enough they were finished with their food and Jack led them back outside, taking a moment to put on his sunglasses as he peered down the street. "Are we ready to head back to Madison?" Bitty asked, looping his arm together with Jack's. 

Jack chuckled, steering him away from where his truck was parked. "Nope, we've still got a couple of hours on the meter, don't want those quarters to go to waste. Come on, let's pick up some things for the baby. And before you protest, you can keep them at my place if you want. I have room." 

So this had been Jack's plan: doing a little shopping for the baby. Bitty sighed, shaking his head. "Jack, come on, I don't really have the money to do a lot of shopping. I can maybe pick out an outfit or two, but that's about it." 

"You aren't going to pay for anything, don't worry about that," Jack said, shaking his head a bit. "And I don't want you to argue with me about it. We don't have to get anything big, but I want you to get a couple of things that you are excited about. Fun stuff." 

Bitty took a slow breath, drawing to a halt in front of a barber shop. "Alright, okay. Can we make a quick stop in here?" 

Jack nodded, holding the door open for him. "Of course." 

"Hey there, have a seat in my chair and tell me what you're looking for," the barber said, tapping a name badge that read 'Aiden, They/Them' on their chest. 

Bitty let out a breathy laugh as Aiden draped a cape over his shoulders. "Well. I want to cut it all off, really, but I want it to look fashionable, you know. Something trendy, but... masculine." 

Aiden winked and opened a drawer to get their clippers. "Sounds good. Undercuts are big right now, but if you're wanting something a little more traditional we can fade it. I'll start with that and you can tell me if you want to go shorter. How does that sound?" 

Bitty had tears in his eyes but he nodded, meeting Jack's gaze in the mirror. "I think that means it sounds good," Jack told Aiden before he settled in to wait. 

"You tell me any time if you need a break, alright?" Aiden said before beginning to part Bitty's hair, clipping the top up and out of the way before turning on the clippers. 

Bitty couldn't help the pleasant shiver as he felt the cool metal against his skin, then the vibration of the blade against his nape. 

Bitty wasn't sure at what point he had closed his eyes, but when Aiden brushed away stray hairs on his neck and said, "You're all done," Bitty took a deep breath and opened them. 

The cut was everything he'd ever wanted but hadn't gotten the courage to ask for. He ran his fingers over the close-cropped hair and then raised a hand to wipe away a tear. "It looks really good," Bitty said, sniffling. "These are happy tears, I promise." 

"I remember those happy tears, trust me," Aiden said as they took of Bitty's cape, shaking it out. "You know what, this big chop's on me." 

"Thank you, you did an amazing job," Jack said, holding out a hand to help Bitty up. 

"Oh no, really, I don't mind paying..." Bitty said in a rush as Jack guided them to the door. 

"Thanks again Aiden," Jack said as he opened the door for them. He leaned forward and whispered, "I left money for them, don't worry," into Bitty's ear. 

Bitty cried through most of the baby boutique, overwhelmed with so much love and gratitude that he was fit to bursting. Jack was so big amongst all the soft, pastel things, and he held up every little dress he thought was cute, each one frillier than the last. 

"Jack, honey, I'm having a baby not a Kentucky Derby hat," Bitty said, putting a hand on his hip. 

Jack laughed as he put the frilly purple number down. "I was wondering when you'd call me on that," Jack said. "I was running out of silly outfits to show you." 

Bitty shook his head, his eyes falling on a soft grey hooded onesie with bunny ears and a fuzzy tail. "Oh my goodness, this is going to be what I bring her home in, for sure," he said, picking it up and stroking the soft fabric. "I love it." 

"I'm glad we found something you love," Jack said, wrapping his arm around Bitty, pulling him into a half hug. "Are you happy I talked you into coming?" 

Bitty nodded, wiping his eyes again. "I am so happy, Jack. Thank you. You're... You're amazing. This day has been amazing." 

Jack raised a hand to wipe away the next tear that fell before leaning in, kissing Bitty. 

Bitty's heart pounded, and he deepened the kiss. 


End file.
